Everything Has Changed
by Yajuu-Kikuishi
Summary: A HxH One shot that I wrote for a forum competiton. It contains information from the Chimera Ant arc of the manga so if you haven't read that, this contains major spoilers. Other then that, I hope you enjoy the story!


**Hunter X Hunter**

**Everything has changed.**

The sun was high and its heat burned down on the dusty path that dredged its way from city to city. It was a long path and people generally avoid walking down it, opting to take personal cars and public transport instead. However, today there was such a person walking down it. His blonde hair hung down to the nape of his neck, framing his face and partially covering his dark blue eyes. He wore white trousers, baggy around his legs, and a white top, but over the top of this he wore a blue coat with no sleeves that drops down to just above his knees, gold inlays cover the chest. Most peculiar about his appearance were the 5 rings on his right hand. Kurapika had been walking for over and hour now and yet he showed no signs of tiring, his face fixed into an unreadable mask.

He continued his silent march when the country life noise around him was interrupted by a jingling tune coming from his pocket. He pulled out his mobile phone and flipped it open, placing it against his ear to talk. A voice could be heard talking away and every few seconds Kurapika would nod and reply with a word to confirm he had heard. The one way conversation carried on for a couple of minutes and eventually Kurapika stopped and moved to the side of the road, dropping his small pack to the ground and pulling a water bottle from it. He took a long swig and then dropped it back in the bag clearing his throat as he did so.

"I'm sorry that I had to leave so suddenly, but the information you gathered was too good for me to ignore I'm afraid." Kurapika said, pausing for the reply. "I'm afraid not, I need to follow this up. You know my feelings about these people, you know what they did to me…" he paused again as the person interrupted. "No, I will not be returning any time soon so for the time being you will have to take control." Another pause "You can handle it, I'm confident in your ability to do so…" he took a seat next to his pack as he listened. "Again, I'm sorry but I have to check this o…what!" his voice rose suddenly as the person said something. "When did this happen? How could they possibly think that I did something like that? Yeah, that makes sense. I'll just have to keep my head low won't I? You know me better then anyone else, I'll be fine. Just make sure that he doesn't send too many people after me while I'm out here, can you do that for me? Thank you, I need to get going now, bye." And with that he clipped the phone shut and held it in his hand.

His eyes narrowed momentarily and then he was back on his feet, his phone back in his pocket and his small bag hanging over his shoulder. He started off on his walk again but nearly instantly came to a stop again, turning his head slightly to look behind him. He raised his right hand in front of him and flexed it, causing a chain with a spherical weight on the end to snake off of his ring finger. It dropped down a couple of inches and hung there for a second before swinging in a small circle before raising slightly and pointing towards his body, or behind him. He retracted the chain into his sleeve and turned around to face the empty road behind him.

"Come on out now, I know you are there." He stated and stood statuesque still to wait. It took a couple of minutes but eventually a figure stepped out of the brush at the side of the road. It was not one that Kurapika recognised but he was pretty certain why he was being followed. "How long have you been following me?"

"You know we met once, Kurapika." The figure said, ignoring the question. "A while back while you were in York Shin and those Ryodan people were running amok. When you killed off the big hairy one, that's when I met you." He stepped forward and Kurapika could finally see what he looked like. He was tall, taller then Kurapika by his head and shoulders, he had a head of blonde hair that he had tied back in a pony tail which hung to the middle of his back and his eyes were a dark green. His face lean and thin, his chin like a point, and his skin was unblemished apart from a scar running down the side of his face, curving around his right eye. He wore a long sleeve white top, baggy on his skeletal body and loose fitting black trousers bunched up by his ankles and hanging over sandaled feet.

"I don't remember you." Kurapika stated simply, still not moving except for the slight flexing of his right hand.

"Oh you wouldn't remember me, I was a lot different back then and when I say met…I mean that I was watching you from a long ways off. Do you know why?" He asked but didn't wait for a reply. "I know off your history Kurapika, last survivor of the Kurita Clan; the ones with the scarlet eyes." As he spoke, his eyes lit up with glee and want at the mention of the scarlet eyes of the Kurita Clan.

As they spoke, a plume of dust appeared behind the man as well as an identical one appearing at the back of Kurapika; the give away of a vehicle moving fast down the dusty track towards the two men.

"Alas, I'm not here to acquire your eyes…I've even been forbidden from taking them. I am here to bring you in, you committed a nasty crime and although your Hunter license takes away some legalities in the business it does not take away all." He stepped forward and cracked his knuckles, making Kurapika take a step back and raise his right hand, his dowsing chain dangling down. "Now, this is where I give you a choice; you can come peacefully and intact or I beat you half to death and hand you over to the authorities with both your arms missing. Which one do you choose, last survivor of the Kurita clan?"

Kurapika narrowed his eyes but did not move, instead glancing over his own shoulder and then the stranger's shoulders at the dust clouds. He did a quick calculation in his head and worked out that it would take 5 minutes for the authorities to arrive; plenty of time to take care of the stranger and get away. Making his decision, Kurapika dashed forward and flicked his wrist to reel out his chain. The stranger smiled a strange smile and then closed his eyes just as everything turned into hell for Kurapika.

x+x+x+x+x

"Ha, I win again Leorio!" Killua called out as he beat Leorio for the 23rd time in Janken. He slumped back into his chair with a smile on his face as Leorio did the same except his face was in a scowl.

"I don't understand how you win every time, there must be a trick to what you are doing!" he complained "Maybe I'll give it a go with Gon; I should be at least able to beat him! He's not some sort of super human assassin!"

"I wouldn't advise that at all, he was the one who taught me the trick!" Killua said with a laugh and then glanced over his shoulder to Gon, who was stood stock still watching a television screen of the daily news. "Hey, what's up Gon?"

Gon didn't reply verbally but instead pointed towards the screen and the dropping the arm back to his side.

"_We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news on the Slater Case that has stunned the nation for the last week. Earlier today, under the guidance of an Association contracted Hunter, the authorities of Yimentia managed to corner the prime suspect and bring him in to custody to be questioned. According to sources, when the suspect was brought in he was severely injured in a fight with the Hunter that was contracted in an attempt to escape."_

The news reported paused at this point and a picture appeared in the upper right hand corner, showing the picture of the prime suspect. Leorio cried out loud while Killua's eyes widened in surprise as Kurapika was shown as the prime suspect, the portrait picture showing his eyes black with contact lenses.

"_Not much is known about the suspect, currently only known as Kurapika because of a lack of second name for him, and this is what moves the authorities to arrest him, As well as incriminating evidence at the scene of the crime, leading them to contact the Hunter Organisation to gather information. At the initial outset the Hunter Organisation, under the rule of its new chairman, was uncooperative and insisted that they have some of their Specialized Hunters to scan the scene. It was agreed and eventually it came back that the evidence was irrefutable so the Hunter Committee contracted one of the Black List Hunters to find Kurapika and alert the authorities to his position once found…"_

At this point Leorio stepped forward and switched the TV off, getting curses and protests from the rest of the bar. He waved his hand at them and took his seat again, Gon moving to stand in between him and Killua.

"So…" Leorio said, looking towards Gon. "…what are we going to do?" he sat back and crossed his long legs in front of him.

"I think the answer is pretty simple, we go and bust him out; he can't have done what ever it is that they are saying he's done. Speaking of which, you turned the TV off too early, we don't know what he's done now." Killua said, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped by his chin.

"I think the first port of call is the Hunter Website, check out what he's done and where they are holding him. What do you think Gon?" Leorio asked, turning his head to face Gon.

In the years since the Chimera Ant infestation, Gon had changed a lot; both in physical appearance and in mentality. He was now slightly taller, taking the look of a young teenager. He was wearing a longer version of his hold shorts, now long enough to cover his knee's and brush the top of his boots; which remained bigger but unchanged. He wore a long sleeve blue top with three buttons at the neck that was undone, on his left the sleeve was rolled up to just above the elbow and on his right it was tied into a know below the stump of his missing arm, the loose bit of fabric sheared off. His hair was no longer, still spiked up but now swept back and hanging down to the base of his neck. The most prominent change in him though was not his physical appearance; it was the look in his eyes. No longer was he the Gon of childhood, he was someone completely different and it was all because of his fight with the formidable ant called Pitoh.

"Let's check the website." He said, his voice sullen and low, void of all the emotions he once held.

So within a couple of minutes the three friends were facing a computer screen, the more computer literate Leorio at the keyboard. He fiddled with a number of keys and the Hunter Website popped up on the screen, he entered his license number to access it and then looked around with the cursor. Within no time at all he had found something submitted by a hunter called 'Ryder'.

"Here we go, he was subdued by a hunter called 'Ryder' and then arrested by the Yimentia authorities and taken to 'Despero Island'." He paused as he read the name. "Doesn't sound familiar, I'll do a quick search." Leorio said and then tapped away on the keyboard again on a search engine, selecting the top item.

"Despero Island is an island off the main coast away from any ports or cities, it is one of the most fearsome prisons in the world and anyone who is taken there is unlikely to be released as all prisoners are to be killed." Killua read. "We better get going then; he probably doesn't have long left to live."

"I suggest instead of busting our way in there, like I'm sure we could, we instead use our Licenses and visit him legally, we'll talk to him and then we'll decided what to do next. Sound like a good idea?" Leorio logged off the computer and stood up to face his friends.

"Let's do it." Gon said, something strange coming into his lifeless eyes.

x+x+x+x+x

A number of hours later, the three of them had managed to arrange a visit to Prisoner #32154, or Kurapika, for the length of 10 minutes only. It required the use of their Hunter Licenses, a bunch of bribes and some threats from Killua in order to do it but finally; they were in. They took a tiny little row boat across the seas, a heavy rain plastering their hair to their heads and soaked them to the bone; Killua was rowing as he had the greatest stamina of the three. It took a couple of minutes to get across the high waves but eventually they docked at a small wooden platform and looked up at the prison on Despero Island.

In comparison to its name it was actually quite well maintained and looked nothing like what Killua and Leorio were expecting. It was a large cube, massive in size, and glass covered each side. As Leorio and Killua looked closer they realised that inside the massive windows, the building was split into loads of different cells that showed the prisoners to the outside world.

The three of them walked forwards, Killua and Leorio in front with Gon coming behind, and entered through some sliding doors, moving into a large lobby like area. Killua's first impression was one of a hotel lobby, complete with help desk and attendant. They moved up to this desk and as they got near, the girl behind it looked up with an expectant look in her eyes.

"Leorio, Killua and Gon?" she asked her voice a high soprano voice, nearly singing as she spoke.

"Yes." Killua replied as he stepped up to the desk. Gon wasn't the only one to have changed in the years that had passed; Killua had also changed since then. He was now taller, nearly as tall as Leorio, and his hair was slightly longer and swept back like a constant wind was blowing in his face. He wore loose fitting skater shoes, long black trousers held at the waist by a silver studded belt and a white vest across his torso, showing off muscular arms and shoulders. He also wore a sweat band on each wrist, with two silver ear studs in each ear.

"We've been expecting you, Prisoner #32154 is still restrained in his cell but his Vocal dampener has been removed to allow him to speak. It is reminded that you have 10 minutes once you start talking to him and that you will be watched throughout the entire conversation. Any attempt to release the prisoner from his restraints will result in instant dismissal from the complex and possible further action by the authorities." Her sing song voice gained a sharper edge at this point. "You will not be escorted but do not think you are not being watch, thank you and please continue to the 3rd floor via the Guest lift and proceed to cell 3.C."

Killua nodded and started walking off, Leorio and Gon following behind him. They went up the elevator to level three and walked along the corridor, glancing into cells as they passed. Every prisoner on this floor was restrained in some fashion and their eyes were covered as well as a strange device that hung around their necks. Killua, Leorio and Gon ignored most of these and stopped when they arrived at a cell with 'C.3' carved into the wall above it.

Kurapika was on his knees, his arms bent back and upwards and attached to the wall via large chains that looped around his arm and joined at his shoulders, keeping his arms from moving freely. Three large bolts were pierced through his lower leg, keeping him attached to the floor and blood was seeping from the wounds. A number of spiralling pins were stuck in his chest and were linked to the walls with curling wires, a humming of electricity clear in the wires.

"Kurapika…" Killua started but Gon pushed him back and stepped forward so his nose was inches away from the glass.

"Who is this Ryder that captured you?" he asked.

"He's a blacklist hunter with long blonde hair…" his voice was hoarse and it sounded like he had severe internal injuries. "He should still be on the island, he said he would wait until I died and take my eyes with him…" his voice cracked and he coughed a number of times, blood speckling the floor.

"What! Where the hell is this guy?" Killua called out, taking a step forward to place a hand on the glass.

"Oh, are you looking for me?" A voice said behind them and the three turned around to face the blonde pony tailed hunter standing behind them "I am Ryder, I am the one who captured Kurapika and brought him he…" he was interrupted by a fist to the face as Gon appeared in front of him and throwing a punch.

The punch was powerful enough that it took Ryder off of his feet and threw him along the corridor, crashing though the lift doors, hitting the back all, crashing through that and then flying outside the building and landing close to the cliff edges that led into the sea.

Both Killua and Leorio looked on stunned as Gon settled on the floor gracefully and then disappeared with such speed that Killua only just managed to catch a glimpse of his boot disappearing out of the hole he had just made in the wall with Ryder. It was only then that he realised there were alarms going off in the building and that many guards were appearing to surround them.

"Looks like there is no diplomatic solution to this, so we better just bust Kurapika out now while we have the chance." Killua said as he smashed a guard in the face sending him flying into his colleagues.

"I suppose so; at least I get to show you my new Nen abilities that I've been working on!" Leorio said as he flicked out his knife.

Ryder had come to a stop just shy off the coast and Gon appeared a couple of meters in front of him as he stood shakily to his feet. "Woowee, cowboy, you've got quite the punch there." He said as he wiped away blood from his broken nose and then pulled out a couple of loose teeth that were clattering around. "But you made a big mistake picking a fight with me. You think you'll be able to keep your Hunter Licence after this fiasco?"

"I…" Gon started and then stopped, his whole body shaking with ill-hidden anger. "I…don't…like…my…friends…hurt!" he said through clenched teeth. His aura grew in size until a mountain of it stood behind him, dwarfing the building behind it. "I…hate…it! His voice getting slightly louder.

"Ho~ly…" Ryder said as he looked up at the massive aura Gon was displaying and then watched in horror as it shifted and then moved towards his fist. "You have got to be kidding me, a punch with that much Nen will destroy the island!" he took a step back and looked on as the aura kept on growing.

"I…HATE…IT!" Gon roared and then disappeared, leaving Ryder to slump to his knee's in shock.

A plume of dust shot up behind Ryder and he turned around to see Gon behind him with his fist raised up by his head, the massive aura surrounding it lashing into the sky. Ryder choked on himself and any instinct to defend himself ran away screaming, leaving Ryder completely defenceless to the onslaught that was about to fall on him

"JAN…KEN…" Gon shouted, his rage getting the better of him. "ROCK!" he screamed and his fist flew forward.

What followed was something that no-one on the planet would have expected of Gon, his fist hit Ryder, passed through his body, turning it to dust as he did, crashed into the floor and a massive explosion rocked the entire island. It started with a large crack appearing and splitting down the centre of the island, followed by an earthquake beyond measure, geysers of volcanic magma shot out of the ground, the prison was obliterated into tiny shards of glass, brick and steel.

Killua felt what was going to happen a second before it happened and activated his 'Denkousekka' and grabbed a hold of Leorio, then using the devastating speed of his Nen ability he disappeared from the island, appearing a long ways off over the sea. Both he and Leorio splashed down into the water and then watched as the devastation made its way across the island, they felt the ground shake beneath them and looked on with awe. "Gon…" Killua muttered to himself.

When everything came to rest, Gon was all alone, kneeling on a lone piece of land amidst the chaos of the destruction he had caused when he could not control his anger. Tears were coming from his eyes as he looked down at his bloodied fist, looking up his arm that had lost all of its muscle and fat and become nothing but skin on bone. He looked across to where he knew Killua and Leorio were and bowed his head to them. "I am sorry." He muttered before keeling over forwards and lying on the ground, not moving.

x+x+x+x+x

This is the result of Gon's harsh encounter with the Chimera ant and King's Guard Niferpitou. The result mentally was too much for him to handle and his personality had become tattered, making him immensely powerful in the process but ridding him of any kind of individuality.

_Written and Composed by Yajuu_Kikuishi_


End file.
